


Spirits of Battle

by Blue_Crow757



Category: Ancient Egyptian Religion, Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Babylonian Religion, Mesopotamian Mythology, Sumerian Religion
Genre: Best Friends, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Old Friends, Rating May Change, Time Skips, contains smut, the chapter contains warnings for smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26140564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Crow757/pseuds/Blue_Crow757
Summary: It seems only a god of war can trully love another war deities.
Relationships: Ares/Ishtar, Ishtar/Ares
Kudos: 7





	1. Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heavy language and depictions of violence

One who loves is one who is prone to hurt himself, that was what Ares had been told but he didn’t know that it would hurt that much, there she was beautiful as in the day she had helped him with his wounds, but now she was far away, talking to Eris and Iris, they were laughing in the middle of that bucket, ‘how could she’, he thought. It had been less than three days since he had learned of her and Adonis. Rage had taken over him, he wanted to kill half of the world, but what had destroyed his spirits was Aphrodite, not even afraid by his ager, telling him if he was going to cry over every man she slept with that weren’t him, he might as well not be with her anymore. 

The rage had gone away kicker than he thought it would, now he only had sadness and a bottle of wine he had picked from Dionysus, his brother didn’t even dare to try and take the bottle back, he was on a in a corner of the banquet his father had organized because of some festival, which he had no idea of the existence of, overlooking all the other gods who were having fun. Ares was lost on his the mission of drowning his sorrows in any bottle of wine or anything containing alcohol, after two days of being drunk the alcohol wasn’t numbing him anymore.

“ So what us that face for ?”- Ares heard the voice of his brother coming from beside him 

Hermes had a goblet on his hands, he seemed to be concerned for him. Ares asked himself if Hermes was the only friend he would ever have, he was the only sibling he had a good relationship with, and it amazed him until today how he and the messenger of the gods were even considered friends. 

“ Adonis .”- Ares said heavily 

“ Oh, I came to know of it .”- Hermes 

“ Who hasn’t .”- Ares responded rather harshly 

“ Well, it wasn’t totally a surprise .”- Hermes said cautiously

“ What !?!”- Ares turned fully to his brother

“ Relax, it was not on your part. But you do remember how you two got together, don’t you?”- Hermes acknowledged 

“ I thought … I thought she would change.”- Ares told his brother angrily

“ Brother, I know it’s hard to understand, but it is hard for us to change, you cannot bend something that is unbendable as nature, Aphrodite has her nature for love, as you do have your nature that is for war, you just cannot change it… I mean you can but it would take time.”- Hermes 

Ares looked at his brother, who now was sitting next to him on a table away from the middle of the banket, he thought to himself on all of their differences, Hermes was black of hair, and Ares had dark-brown hair, their eyes were the same tone of dark amber, their skis different, while Hermes had darker skin, as the Medjay and Ares’ skin was the shade as their father’s not as white as the clouds but definitely lighter than most mortals. Yet they were friends and there was Hermes, being the wise one and telling Ares to grow up, and move on. 

“ I know Hermes, it just hurts more than I thought it would, I would rather lose the rest of my war for Athen then to feel like this for any longer.”- Ares 

“ Wow, is it that bad ?”- Hermes 

“ Yes.”- Ares 

“Uhhh, you can try to take your head of that .”- Hermes

“ And how would I do that ?”- Ares questioned

“ So I heard about a guy, he is very god you could be his patron. “- Hermes

“ Who ?”- Ares 

“ His name is Alexander III of Macedon, but some people are calling him Alexander the Great. He is a very great mortal, they say he is preparing to abroad and conquer the world.”- Hermes

“ Is he the son of the asshole who created that, Corinth thing ?”- Ares 

“ Yes, the league of Corinth. But what do you say about Alexander ?”-Hermes 

“ I’ll check it out.”- Ares 

“ Ohh and if you go abroad can you send me a souvenir .”- Hermes

“ Why ?”- Ares

“ I’m making a collection.” - Hermes

“ Then I’ll send you a rock .”- Ares said joking 

“ That will do.”- Hermes said exited 

“ Alright then.”- Ares said a little confuse

“ So are you going to drink the rest of that ?”- Hermes asked pointing at the bottle Ares had by him 

“ Yes, Hermes.”- Ares 

“ Ohh, just checking.”- Hermes said as he went on his way to talk to Athena and Apollo 

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

It had been years since Ares had gone anywhere near Macedon since he decides to focus on his direct war with Athena, he had stayed in Sparta for almost two centuries, but as he got there, everything was familiar, he felt the smell on an eminent war, and that excited him more than, the Trojan War had, Alexander, had just assumed the post of his father that had been killed. The young man was ambitious, and in a quest for glory, he was hungry for it. 

Those mortals were the easiest to control, their eager blinded them to any influence, it just made Ares’ job that much easier. He was a brilliant strategist, a military genius, it had been centuries since Ares had seen a mortal with such intellect. His tactics were remarkable, but that didn’t come without a price, he was a megalomaniac, who trully believed he was a god or at the very least descended from them. 

Alexander was delusional, and a tad man but he was cleaver, as soon as he established himself as king of Macedon he rapidly had blamed the Persians for his father’s assassination, which clearly wasn’t true, but to Ares, it didn’t matter, that drove the young man too started a war with the Persians and that was exactly what Ares wanted, it had been to much time since a confrontation of this magnitude had taken place. 

The war that Alexander promoted was overwhelming, liberating from Persian control all the city in western Asia, to the south in Egypt where he was declared Pharaoh and a living god. Ares did not pay much attention to the young boy's megalomania, he was a good commander, and knew how to do things almost unbelievable, disempowering exercises four times larger than his own. 

He was an ambitious mortal, and he coveted more, and that is how Ares found himself arriving in Babylon. The battle of Gaugamela, the memory of such a battle was forged in the memory of the Greek god, but the battle was not what remained most in the memory of Ares. He was in the middle of the battle, killing mortals who tried their luck by attacking him, that's when he spotted, a person, a warrior, a light blue armor like the sky in quiet days, a helmet of the same color, adorned with gold paintings he had black hair like the night, a quiver with arrows on his back a sword and in his other hand a spear. 

The blue warrior fought like an animal, but not like a senseless beast, but like a predator defending his territory, no matter how much he was crossing the men of Alexander's army and eliminating those who attacked him easily. Clearly he was not mortal, a Babylonian or Persian war god perhaps Ares could not help but be mesmerized by that god, he came closer trying to have a better look of that being.

He knew about his preferences, that he liked his companions as much as he liked women, he had already laid with men before, no matter how much less recurrent than when he copulated with other women or when he laid with Aphrodite. But he could say that he never wanted to fuck someone as he wanted to fuck that man and be fucked by him, Ares' imagination wandered he wondered how would be, that man that beast being dominated by him or being dominated by that man in blue armor. 

As he came closer the man took notice of his, and looked directly into the dark amber eyes of Ares, the god of war who was dressed in a red cape and a helmet adorned with red fuzz, he stood out for his physical stature, for in the midst of battle he didn’t hide his divine nature. They exchanged a glance at first but the warrior in blue quickly went back to what he was doing as if he had not understood that it was Ares or if he had not comprehended that there was another diety within his reach, but in just one leap the man in blue turned to Ares, raising his sword to the god of war. 

Ares could see know the man's eyes, thought the helmet was blocking a good area of his face he could see, fearsome eyes, the iris black on the outside as it came close to the pupil golden rips made the little black spot look like the sun on an eclipse, for Ares the warrior's eyes did not know how to hide behind him a burning soul, which increased the victory as much as he did, Ares saw himself in those eyes. 

He was bewitched body and soul by that other man, that looked fiercely, he had forgotten how it felt, that feeling of not being in control over his own body. He asked himself if he had ever felt like that in the first place, or if what he felt fo Aphrodite was only a fraction of what he was feeling now.

Ares extended his hand to the man that seemed confused by actions, but as he did so a horse ran into the middle of their interaction, bringing Ares back to the battle, he defended himself with ease but as he did, he looked back again the ma wasn’t there anymore, and question plagued his mind. Was the men struck down? had he fled? the doups hunted Ares as he fought throughout the rest of the battle and as the Greeks saw himself as victors, Ares saw himself as a man with a mission, find the man with the blue armor. 

That was the first time they meet. 


	2. Philia

As Alexander's troops strolled into the Babylonian castle, Ares could make himself stay for the raid of the city, which made the situation more pacific than any other he had ever partaken in. He didn’t have time for raiding or wrecking the city he was searching for the man in blue armor, while all the soldiers made themselves comfortable, Are searched for the other man in the middle of the crowd, he thought it would be easiest to find someone so exquisite like that man, he thought as easy to find him as to find a hawk in the midst of a group of swallows. 

But as the sun disappeared from the sky, the realization that it wouldn’t be that easy to find that man, Alexander and his soldiers were partying, drinking, and working to satiate their needs and pleasures, Ares strolled around the palace, trying to get away from the party's racket, something he had never done in his life, he left the party and went to the palace gardens, when the sound of music and celebration became only a background sound he saw himself looking at the starry sky, it was totally different from the sky in Sparta. Ares was so focused on the stars that he hardly realized that he was not alone. 

“ You want to share ?”- A voice came from behind him 

Ares turned and was astonished by the view, there he was, the blue warrior, but it wasn't he, he was a she, a woman, the realization hit Ares, the blue warrior was a woman, she was still wearing her armor but her helmet laid next to her on that stone bench she sat, her eyes were even more beautiful than he had previously thought, her hair was long and black as ebony, her face didn't have any strong features, her face was kind and the smirk in her lips only made her more beautiful, she didn't look like a severe person but her eyes made her resemble a fierce animal.

“ Soo ?”- She asked Ares, who was dumbfounded

He shook his head and got himself back to the moment, she was extending him a cup, she had by her a jar of some alcoholic drink. 

“ What ?”- Ares asked 

“I’m asking you to drink with me.”- She told him 

“ Ohh.”- Ares taking the cup from him and sitting by her on the stone bench

“ I saw you fighting today, it was very good .”- She told him as she poured into his cut the red drink

“ You are not so bad yourself .”- Ares said before he gave it a sip 

“ I’m Ishtar, but my friends if I had them would be calling me Nina .”- She said extending him her hand 

“ I’m Ares, and if had any friends I think they would call me Ares .”- Ares said shaking her hand 

Both of them laughed, they were both taking in each other, she was beautiful, Ares could feel her fearlessness in her every action, not everyone would have the confidence, to offer a drink to a being that at sunrise she was clashing swords with. And she looked at him, he was a handsome man even if not the most commonly handsome for her, his dark brown hair, and his amber eyes his beard was thin and his jawline was well-defined it had been some time since Ishtar had thought a man that handsome… since Dumuzid. 

They stayed there drinking and talking about nothing in particular, nothing that was profound, even if a feeling of strange comfort had taken them both. He discovered that she was a goddess of sex, war, justice, and political power, and she came to discover that he was a Greek god, apparently, her people had a different name to the gods of Ares' homeland, but he didn't pay much attention to their names. 

“ So what brought you to Babylon ?”- Ishtar asked 

“ It’s a long story .”- Ares said melancholically

He couldn't bring himself to hide the sorrow on his voice, and Ishtar didn’t fail to perceive the sadness in her voice, even if he was already quite drunk, they had drunk the wine jar she had in less than an hour, and had gone out looking for Babylonian beer, but had come back to that same stone bench to see the sunrise, the night had not completely died but the twilight of the transition between the darkness of the night and the clarity of the day had already taken shape. 

“ We have time, it’s not like we are going to die any time soon.”- Ishtar 

He gave her an affirmative ruff, Ares breathed heavily and gave his beer a sip. But before he could say anything her voice came back.

“ Ohh, I’m sorry if I’m overstepping the boundaries, you don’t need to tell me …”- Ishtar 

“ No no, it’s not that it is just… it still kind of sting to talk about it .”- Ares

“ I’ve already told you, it is your choice to tell me or not, but one thing is true, I am neither your family, nor your countryman, so I can try to give you advice, without sweet talking you.”- Ishtar

“ It kind of makes you the perfect confidant.”- Ares 

“ It kind of does .”- Ishtar said before taking a sip of her beer 

“ In that case, you can say it was a broken heart.”- Ares 

“ Uhhh, were you married ?”- Ishtar 

“ No .”-Ares

“ I advise against it, I’ve been married twice, one of my husbands married a guy who died soon after and my other husband is dead. It’s a waste of time.”- Ishtar 

“ We weren’t married but it was something serious, at least for me it was.”- Ares 

“ And …”- Ishtar 

“ And I caught her with another guy, when I asked her, in a not very friendly way to explain, she said she couldn’t be exclusive and that if I was going to take the high road she was not going to follow me .”- Ares

“ Ohh that some harsh shit .”- Ishtar 

“ I should have known .”- Ares 

“ Well, there isn’t you know a way to know that someone will be like that.”- Ishtar

“ But I had … let’s just say the way we got together wasn’t as pure as possible.”- Ares

“ Uhh, there is still more? “- Ishtar

“ She was married to my brother.”- Ares

“ Wow, wow, wow, she was married to your brother, dude was is the bro code. Not that I know of any of it, but it has been told to me that it exists.”- Ishtar

“ I know I am a bad person .”- Ares admitted 

“ Well it was a dick move, but you know … But it doesn't make you the worst person alive, in my opinion, I would say is partly karma, but … I understand that you might be feeling like shit.”- Ishtar

“ Karma it is then.”- Ares 

“ But you can always look on the bright side, know you can I don’t know, fuck somebody new and then move on .”- Ishtar 

“ You really think so ?”- Ares 

“ Yeah, it’s what I did and it worked the two times I did it.”- Ishtar 

He laughed, Ares didn’t know if it would work, Aphrodite was very good, she would be hard to forget, but he would put his back on the task wiping her from his mind, what he couldn’t foresee is that this new person Ishtar, the blue warrior, was truly sticking by him for the long run. 

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

The next time he saw himself thinking about what course he was taking, he was halfway into the Campaign in India promoted by Alexander who had marched to the north of the Indian territory, the boy who wasn’t even 30 years old and had already conquered a great part of the world he knew, and yet he was thirsty for more. Now Ares was sitting on a rock while the troops rested in the middle of a forest much denser than the Greek forests, he had a paper in his hand, a letter to his brother Hermes. 

He knew that time passed much more slowly for the gods, but already for a long time he sent a sign of life to his pantheon, but in the letter, he asked Hermes to omit the knowledge of his whereabouts and even to burn the letter as soon as he finished reading it. 

“ What are you doing .”- He heard a voice questioning him 

“ I’m sending a letter to my brother Hermes .”- Ares said looking up to Ishtar 

“ Huh, so what are you telling him ?”- She asked 

Ares had come to know she was one curious bean, always asking, he never had someone so interested if he was wounded or just in his rightful state of mind. Normally he would feel trapped by that attention, wanting to have time for himself, but that was exactly the opposite of what went on with him when it was about Ishtar, he found solace in her, in the friendship that had blossomed between them, he indeed had found comfort in Nina as she insisted he called her, although it was not the comfort he cherished he most, it nevertheless felt good. 

“ I’m telling him where I am, and that I’m fine, but I am also lamenting that I will not be able to send him his rock.”- Ares 

“ A rock ?”- Ishtar didn’t hide her confusion 

“ Yes a rock, he wanted me to sen him a souvenir, so I told him I’d send him a rock, but I didn’t find anything special. “- Ares 

“ Well, you can give him this.”- She told him reaching into the pocket she had on her armor, something Ares thought to be very useful 

She extended her hand to him, he looked at the palm of her hand she had a chip of glazed brick, he recognized it as something similar to the bricks in the gates on Babylon. 

“ You carry a rock with you ?”- Ares asked dumbfounded 

“ I carry it for luck, it’s a brick from my gates back in Babylon, I carry it to remember where home is. “- Ishtar said with a shy smile 

“ No, no, no you don’t need to give that, if it means that much to you I wouldn’t want you to give it away. Hermes is just doing some futile stuff you don’t need to …”- Ares 

“ Ares, if you promised your brother a rock, send him the god damn rock, besides when I get back home, I’ll have a hole gate to choose from .”- Ishtar 

Ares scoffed at himself, as he took the rock from her and wrapped the rock with the paper of the letter, he sent the letter not long after, but the matter of his brother Hermes wasn’t what stuck with him, but the willingness Nina had to give him something that meant a lot for her. Looking back Ares would only see that as a landmark on their relationship, making a rock something so symbolic was surely not what he expected to be a point of bonding for any of his fellow soldiers or flings.

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

As Ares learned quite fast that India was a hot place, it made him wish he was at the top of Olympus were it was neither cold nor too hot, but that place it seemed like he was in the dippest dungeon on the worst part of Tartarus, as they marched and conquered the north of the territory, but as Ishtar had seen as they got to India, Ares understood the man was more than unsatisfied, they wanted to go home even though they never lost a battle. But that wasn’t what he remembered best of India. 

It was a hot night, the soldiers were all drunk, and it was only of the only nights where the man wasn’t complaining, either because of the new type of alcoholic drink brought by the new additions to the army, some jinns that were very eager on helping Alexander, Ares meanwhile was over the corner of that commemoration drinking on the Babylonian beer he had grown to like more and more. Ishtar strolled to him, she was clearly drunk, her smile was radiant and she giggled as they locked eyes.

“ Why are you looking at me like that ?”- Ares asked calmly, looking away from her 

“ I’m just looking nothing else .”- Ishtar 

He asked himself how she could do that, he wasn’t even looking at her anymore, he was looking into the cup on his hand, yet he felt the look she was giving him. It had been almost nine years since they meet, and Ares came to comprehend different thinks about Ishtar in the meantime, he hand come to understand her. Her gaze had nuance, but it was also powerful, it cataloged in her mind the types of gazes that she had already made in her presence, certainly, the soft gaze and the one of anger were the most present. He had surely not seen the way she was looking at him now. 

“ What is it? “- Ares 

“ What is is what ?”- Ishtar 

“ You are looking at me, in a funny way .”- Ares 

“ What funny way ?”- Ishtar 

“ Nina I know you. Why are you looking at me like this ?”- Ares sighed

“ I just noticed something I had not seen before .“- Ishtar told 

Her voice was different, as she said it in a lower volume than she would normally have, it surely made a shiver go down Ares’ spine, he would have enquired himself on what the hell was happening to his body but it didn’t take much for him to understand, he was feeling the same stamina and adrenaline high as he had from the first time he had looked into Ishtar’s eyes. 

“ I’ve bee thinking you know, the Persians they did something, they would fuck at night but by day they would go back to being friends with their friends, they were very curious, and that is something I share with them … My two husbands you know they were both respectful, more that I could even ask for but, they could never go where I wanted them to .”- Ishtar said as she a strand of his hear 

“ I don’t get what you want .”- Ares said still looking away from her

He was considered a brute and a savage, but he was no idiot, he knew when someone was flirting with him, and he wouldn’t even thinking before jumping at the chance of being in bed with anyone, but something in his mind told him not to do it. Ishtar was his friend, possibly his only friend, if he bedded her as he had thought the first time they saw each other, possible they would be friends again.

“ Ishtar …”- Ares said 

“ You are different from them, you are eager and vicious .’”- Ishtar 

“ I don't think we should.”- Ares 

“ Uhh, that is a far cry from your reputation.”- Ishtar 

“ You have known me for five years, I thought you would know better than to judge me for my reputation.”- Ares said, but not in a warning neither threatening way 

“ What am I not desirable enough ?”- Ishtar asked 

“ It’s not it .”- Ares 

“ So what is it ?”- Ishtar 

“ You are my friend .”- Ares 

“ That hasn't stopped you before I know that .”- Ishtar referred to the many soldiers he had "befriended" in the last year 

“ They are different, they are mortal, some of them demigods they are not on my level and they will never be .”- Ares 

“ And I am on your level ?”- Ishtar 

“ Yes .”- Ares 

“ And you are afraid of having sex with me ?”- Ishtar 

“ No.”- Ares 

“ So why not then?”- Ishtar 

“ Because you are drunk .”- Ares 

“ I’m not you can look me in the eyes and see that .”- Ishtar“ They are different, they are mortal, some of them demigods they are not on my level and they will never be .”- Ares 

He turned to look at her and before he could look deep into her eyes, she kissed him, the kiss was sweet and kind, but also demanding and sexual. The taste of her kiss was not beer or wine, he was sure a lot her conscience was no longer clouded by wine, and he did not know what else he left on edge, the fact that she was seducing him dark and in his right state of mind, or that her kiss was more comforting and exciting than any other kiss he had been given, he thought that maybe the fact that she had stolen this kiss from him was what made him so special. 

“ Do you promise that tomorrow everything will be the same as it was this morning?”- Ares said as he had to pull back for air, he held her shoulders so he could look into her eyes

She was beautiful, that he could argue against. Their height difference wasn’t very much noticeable to him know, even though he was three inches taller than her.

“ I promise, on my bones, and sunrise everything would be as it was .”- Ishtar said 

As she finished her fraise she attacked his mouth, she kissed him with greater voraciousness now, and he responded with the same kind of treatment while they stumbled to a cabin where they could be alone.


	3. Compromise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains depictions of sex so be warned

The sunlight was truly a bitch , specifically, when it insisted on taking anyone of their slumber, Ares remarked to himself that he would kill Helios if he could, he sighed as the last pieces of his slumber left him. As he was brought back to the surface of his conscience a recollection of what had happened came to his mind, he was sure he was regretting not having stretched the night prior. He remembered that he had thought to himself he wouldn’t feel his legs and well enough he felt numbness to his bottom half. 

He looked to his side, she wasn’t there anymore, he didn’t know if that was a relief or if it hurt him, he sat up rubbing his face, thinking about what they had done. She had promised everything would be the same, he didn’t regret that, but he realized how bad of an idea it was, not that the sex had been bad, it had been amazing, truly outstanding, but the feelings, they were what fucked everything up, and the mix of feelings on no seeing Ishtar by his side, as he woke up told him was a bad idea.

He laid back on the makeshift bed he had on his tent, he chose to remember the moments of last night as if he were reliving the events of that warm night. It was a mix of rough and gentle. As they stumbled to his tent, Ishtar pushed Ares to the bed with a roughness he didn’t know to be inflicted on himself. 

Ishtar quickly glanced at his face and he noticed how full of lust and want her eyes were. She looked eager for carnal release and that turn Ares on, like nothing else would, she briefly looked down towards his manhood, and he followed her eye, to the bulge that had formed, he understood what she was thinking, as she slowly approached with her hand. 

With a smile upon her lips, she placed her hand on his bulge and closed her eyes, feeling it through his trousers, it was so hard and … huge, Ishtar caressed him very slowly, unconsciously trying to gauge his length. She opened her eyes and looked directly at Ares, that look didn’t just kind of intimidated him but also made him more turned on than he already was, she when to his trouser, taking it off with ease, seeing that he wasn’t wearing his armor, and he took the top part of his close. 

She watched his body, delighting in the well-defined muscles and skin full of scars that told the stories of the battles in which Ares had fought in his long life, she watched his cock spring free. It was the first time Ishtar was going to have sex with a Greek and she looked forward to that, but it was also a first time for Ares, he felt some insecurity, he didn’t know why, he had never felt that not even when he was with Aphrodite, he felt vulnerable, but he didn't try to hide. 

The confusion about the feeling of insecurity he was feeling on his stomach did reflect on his face, sending a message to Ishtar that looked back at his, stopping her ministrations of his body. 

“ What is it ?”- She asked kindly 

“ Nothing, it’s just, a feeling I had .”- Ares 

“ Do you want to stop…”- Ishtar 

“ No, fuck no, I want this .”- Ares

“ So what is it ?”- Ishtar 

“ I’m just a little nervous.”- Ares 

“ You, nervous ?”- Ishtar 

“ I understand if you laugh, but it’s the first time I have … sex with someone who isn’t…”- Ares 

“ Greek ?”- Ishtar 

“ Yeah.”- Ares 

“ Well, it’s a first time for both of us, it is the first time I lay with a Greek. So shall we?”- Ishtar 

She kissed him reassuringly, she held his face delicately, almost as someone would hold a beautiful flower, as she kissed him, as her hand slipped down and grabbed his cock , he smiled as she kissed him because just by touch she could feel it was massive and thick and veinous.

As she went down from kissing his lips to kissing his ear lobe and line, she tightened her hand around his shaft and began to move, rapidly changing the pace, being bit quicker and firmer he sighed and moaned under her hand like he never had done before, he thought to himself that he really must have sounded like a cheap whore now, and all of that because of a simple hand job. Ishtar continued to move her hand and instinctively started twisting her hand a bit, and that made him moan again. 

“Yeah. That feels nice.”- Ares whispered, panting

He didn’t have time to finish his sentence, Ishtar used her other hand to caressing balls, he was definitely enjoyed this, more than he thought he would, he laid back, as he moaned his moans sent shivers in her entire body, it was electrifying, she wanted to hear it again. She pulled away from him and took off the top of her clothes, Ares admired Ishtar's body, she had scars that matched his own, her skin was brown as toasted nuts, and her black hair covered her skin like a mantle of the color of the night. 

Ishtar didn’t leave Ares unattended for long, she soon bent over and put her lips on the tip of his cock, he immediately jolted, he hadn’t seen that one coming, he thought she would only give him a hand, something she was doing magistrally but he liked it anyway, crossed his hands behind his head to watch her, that gave him a high of adrenaline not even fifty of the grandest of battles could do. 

She took the tip in her mouth, sucking it, the taste of his pre-cum, Ares seemed to enjoy those lips around him by the sound he was making, so she took him deeper, she welcomed his length in her mouth. 

" Wow, take it easy."- Ishtar heard a very breathless Ares above her 

“ I mean go big or go home.”- Ishtar said taking a moment 

“ It’s surely a very interesting mentality .”- Are chuckled 

“ So you are going to let me go back to what I was doing, or we can chat for the rest of the night.”- Ishtar said squeezed his cock with her hand

“ Ohh shit.”- Ares whispered trying very hard not to give a moan that would draw attention from the outside world 

“ That’s what I thought.”- Ishtar said as she went back to his cock

So he shook his head, amused, and at the same time exasperated he gestured her to straddle him. 

“ What ?”- Ishtar asked 

“ Come here .”- Ares gestured 

“ Alright then.”- Ishtar knelt on the bed and came to sit on him not really understanding what he meant

“ No, not there .”- Ares chuckled 

He winked and grabbed her ass in his hands. Her eyes widened when she realized what he meant

“ You want me to …”- Ishtar 

“ Yes, I want you to sit on my face. Are you surprised ?”- Ares 

“ I don’t know, just never thought you were that type of person, not that is bad or anything.”- Ishtar 

“ And I never thought you would be a person to suck my dick, so I think we are even .”- Ares

Those words brought new tension to her lower stomach. Still, Ishtar manages to place herself above Ares’ head. She took off her shoes while he was undoing her trouser, soon she was bare naked as he was. He tossed her trouser and undergarments aside and without forewarning started kissing her slit, she immediately moaned and took hold of his hair to stay still, he chuckled with pride before kissing her one more time. 

“You’re so wet. You’re aware of that?”- Ares asked 

“ Yeah, that happened when I saw your dick.”- Ishtar whimpered and bit her lower lip

“ Is that the kind of thing you want to hear?”- Ares asked with an imperative tone 

She nodded enjoying the feeling pleasure he was giving her. He slapped her ass as a response. Ishtar gasped as he did so, but didn’t seem to dislike it. 

“I didn’t hear.” - Ares 

“ Yes. I like dirty talk, and I also like some roughness .” - Ishtar squealed

He licked her, sucking her and she moaned loudly, Ishtar had to admit to herself, Ares was one hell of a talented lover. She had to hold herself not to ride his face and let him do what he wanted. Ares grabbed her thighs and started sucking her clit and lips more greedily. The sensation was divine. He was divine.

“ By the gods, you have a truly skilled tongue .”- Ishtar exasperated when she felt his tongue entering her

“ You taste so good.”- Ares 

“ Ares .”- Ishtar moaned his name 

“ What ?”- Ares asked distracted with his task

“ Fuck me now .”- Ishtar said it just like that 

He abruptly stopped sucking her clit, dumbstruck by what she had just told him, he stayed in silence but it didn’t take long. She commanded him as Ishtar could tell she was about to cum.

“ Fuck me now. I want you, I want you inside of me now.”- Ishtar said moving her body to look him in the eyes 

His lust peaked, he rapidly took actions into his hands. He pushed her flat on the makeshift bed. He sucked his fingers as he stared at her right in the eye. Damn those eyes, they looked more like a hidden sun than they had ever, so beautiful and so filled with lust. Then he went to caress her folds again, making her moan and even yell when he put a finger inside of her. Ishtar cursed as he began curling them and moving them in and out of her to stretch out her entrance. 

“ Does it hurt ?”- Ares asked he felt he should even though he hadn’t felt the need to do that to any of his other partners 

“ If something hurts I’ll let you know.”- Ishtar said and gave him a quick kiss

He bent over and began sucking her nipples. She let her head sink into the pillow. Damn, that was good, he was very good. He grabbed one of her breasts in his free hand and kept on sucking while his other hand was still pleasuring her between her legs, but then he bit her nipple she jolted.

“ Ouch .”- Ishtar 

“ Thank you for letting me know.”- Ares smirked 

“ So, you like to bite ?”- Ishtar 

“ Yes, I like it and I like to be bitten too.”- Ares 

He didn’t need to say it twice, she pushed him on his back and began kissing his chest. His skin was so soft and so warm. She caressed it with her fingertips. Ares was so muscular and his abs were to die for, she licked his pectorals and bit his nipple.

“Ouch, that hurts!"- Ares growled

“ Oops, did I hurt you?”- Ishtar 

They both laughed, but when the laughing ceased they looked at each other, they contemplated what they were doing, it was a moment of clarity on that lustful night, but neither of them regretted what they were doing, although that wasn't the only feeling Ares had, he chose to ignore that for now. 

“Can you lie down ?”- Ares asked, gently as he caressed her cheek

She changed places with him laying down on the makeshift bed, she watched as he opened your legs wide and knelt between them, that was a gentleness about the moment, as a calm before the storm, that was something Ares had never had, the tenderness, the kindness of Ishtar’s touched, and he didn’t even know he craved it. He took his cock in his hand and started jerking it off a bit to make it a bit harder, he breathed in and out deeply, and looked back at her, so to know if she still wanted it, she nodded telling him she was ready, he tapped her pussy with his cock before brushing the entrance with the tip.

Ishtar felt Ares entering Ishtar slowly, gently, and softly. He was very caring and considerate, more than he had ever been before. She instantly and instinctively clenched her walls and grit your teeth as she cried out. She grunted in what Ares assumed was pain, so he stopped moving, something he had never done before, he asked himself why he was doing this he was being cautious, and that confused him, yet it was the only way he saw fit to act. He never wanted to hurt Ishtar, and as heard her he immediately worried, and that feeling of worry confused him. 

“ I’m sorry .”- He said looking back at her fact

“ Don’t be .”- Ishtar said 

Ares was conflicted the sound he had heard from her was surely not something out of pleasure but her face and body language said otherwise, she seemed to be in utter and all pleasure. She shook your head. Ishtar wrapped her leg on the small of his back and used her legs to usher him a bit more inside of her. She blocked a whimper in her throat and dug her nails in his back, she dug them so deeply, that he hissed but she didn’t notice and he couldn't care less. 

Ishtar was so tight, too tight even. That was not normal and it wasn’t what he had expected at all when he had imagined having sex with Ishtar a few minutes ago. So, he touched your clit hoping it would bring her pleasure, even though she was telling she was feeling alright. She took his face on her hands and kissed him, he let himself enjoy that kiss and responded by pressing his lips against hers' in return to deepen it, they kissed again and again and the delicate softness turned into a burning passion, and he felt her relax, and her wall not clenching. it brought to his mind that maybe he wasn’t the only one nervous to have sex with a dear friend but she was better at hiding her feelings. 

So he finally slid entirely inside of her, she gasped and held on to his back, he started kissing her neck, but he didn’t move, until he kissed his shoulder he straightened up, she was looking back at him with her beautiful eyes. 

“ Are you alright ?”- Ares 

“ I told you I would let you know if I wasn’t. Go for it .”- Ishtar said smiling at him 

He started moving slowly in you. The first moves left her breathless Ares, was uncharacteristically gentle, very sweet and soft, and definitely far from selfish. But as it got easier and easier for him to go into Ishtar, he quickened his pace little by little until he was hammering into her, and they were both screaming, moaning, and grunting in pleasure.

“ Fuck this feels good.”- Ishtar growled

“ You have no idea how good you feel. You are so tight and wet. ”- Ares managed to say as he kept pounding Ishtar and low voice sent shivers down her entire body and she moaned louder than before

“ Ohh fuck.”- Ishtar whispered 

“So, you do like it when I talk dirty.”- Ares 

“ You have no idea.” - Ishtar admitted 

He kept pounding into her, and the feeling of pleasure only increased with every trust, it became more overwhelming of a feeling, unlike Ares had felt before. 

“ You want to change your position?” - Ishtar asked breathlessly

“ Yeah, sure.”- Ares said 

He pulled out of you and she got on all four. For a second there he was dumbstruck when he saw what she was doing but nonetheless followed her lead, she felt him brush her entrance like the first time. The feeling of how deep he was, took the breath away from her, and when he started thrusting in and out of her again, it felt like the world around them didn’t exist anymore.

“ Too deep ?”- Ares asked

“ No, keep going .”- Ishtar 

He did as she told him and grabbed her hips to keep her in place. His thrusts were rather frantic and she could feel his balls slapping occasionally on her clit. He was rough but she didn't remember a time when she felt better, and so did him. 

“ Harder !”- Ishtar moaned 

“ You sure ?”- Ares asked 

“ Yes, come on give it to me .”- Ishtar moaned

One small kiss on her shoulder and he was moving again in and out of her, in a languorous slow pleasant way. He grinned and, without stopping, kissed her cheek but she caught his lips instead. His eyes widened a bit, definitely surprised, but he ended deepening the kiss, despite it, and as he did he put his fingers on her clit to rub it on. 

Ishtar moaned and let herself go to his expert touch. Soon she felt orgasm getting closer, she cried out when she felt all the pleasure exploding in her body. Ishtar could also hear Ares' cries from behind her, he came inside her and he trusted roughly into her. 

Her muscles tensed as well as she let that divine sensation sink in. She immediately fell into the makeshift bed after that. And as Ares pulled out after on the best if not best orgasms of his life, he also collapsed next to her, and let his body relaxed. It was amazing. She fondly as he smiled at her. They looked at each other, tracing with their eyes, every single feature on the other's face until they locked eyes again, she smiled softly at her and he did the same.

“ So, ready for round two?”- She asked her eyes lustful as they were when she first kissed him 

“ Fuck yeah .”- Ares responded not even giving attention to the fact that he had just had one of the best orgasms of his life, he was eager for more as was Ishtar

The memory was fresh on his mind, it had just sunk into his mind that he had the night before at least five of the best orgasms he ever had, now that he thought it seemed like a very good idea even though it was also one of his worst ideas, but he remembered what she had said before they embarked on that night of lust when they fucked into each other as if their lives depended on it.

He sat upon his bed looking at the close he had on the floor as the numbness of his legs went away, they were all his, but he remembered from the night before that he had fallen asleep tangled in the arms of Ishtar and it felt good, it felt better than he thought it would, and that was what he thought an error, he had harbored feelings and ignored them, so he decided to not give mind to those feelings as he had on the last night. 

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

Ares got up from his bed and prepared himself for the day, after he put his close and armor on he went out looking for Ishtar, it wasn’t very difficult to find her since she was in her trademark blue armor, sitting on a rock, she had a scroll on her hand, possible a letter about Babylon.

“ Good morning.”- Ares said 

“ Morning… it seems that a bug has bitten you .”- Ishtar pointed to the hickey on his neck 

“ Yeah, I know.”- He said in a low voice as she chuckled 

He felt kind of uneasy, he didn’t know if he should ask about how she was feeling, or if he should just shut up about it, she seemed to be toying with him, so she wasn’t ashamed of what happened, and that was good. 

“ About last night .”- Ares said kneeling by her side 

“ What about it ?”- Ishtar asked in a low voice 

“ I’m just checking if …”- Ares 

“ If I regret it? No, I don’t.”- Ishtar said neutrally not reviling her emotions

“ That is a relief I would want to have done something that offended you .”- Ares 

“And I look forward to doing it again.”- Ishtar said 

“ Oh, what ?”- Ares 

“ You don’t do it again ?”- Ishtar 

“ No I want to, it's just kind of a surprise.”- Ares 

“ I wouldn’t think so, it felt good to me, only if it didn’t feel good for you .”- Ishtar

‘“ I did ! I truly did .”- Ares almost punched himself for the way he said it, he seems to desperately want 

“ We have news .”- Ishtar said showing him the scroll

“ What is it ?”- Ares asked 

“ We are going back to Babylon.”- Ishtar 

“ Why ?!- Ares

“ It seems the troops have made a rose against Alexander and forced him to return home .”- Ishtar

“ So be it then .”- Ares 


	4. Arrangement

Alexander tried to persuade his soldiers to march with him to the east, but his generals begged him to reconsider and return. The men, they were wanting to go back to their homes, to see their fathers, their wives, their children, and their homeland. Alexander agreed and marched south, following the banks of the Indus River. Alexander took the troops under his command back to Persia taking the difficult route south through the Gedrosian desert, in what seemed like a punishment for those who wanted to return, but it was no great bother for Ares and Ishtar.

They continued their nocturnal arrangement, as they ended up calling it, but something that became increasingly clear to Ares was that he had some feelings for Ishtar, that was already creeping on him, but the crossing through the desert only left the feelings that he had most clear to Ares. He wanted to take time to think about something that he didn't do much because he was much more emotional than the reason that was true about his reputation, but he found himself proceeding with caution, more than he would usually. 

Alexander wasn’t at all happy to return home, but as soon as he arrived in Babylon he began to plan a series of new military campaigns. He intended to invade Arabia, and perhaps launch an incursion into Western Europe. This didn’t worry any of the two gods who had already established themselves in Alexander's troops, and even though for now the war wasn’t so imminent, something that Ares found strange at first but realized was that he found more solace, more satisfaction, and found some peace while he was with Ishtar, when they trained together, ate together, and when they fuck into each other. 

It was a new feeling, something that Ares had never felt, an inner peace, it was something very new that frightened to him, Ares had never distanced himself in such way from his origin and nature, but he wasn’t obliged to do it, Ishtar did not require him to be violent nor virile and that was puzzling, she did not need him to be strong or manly, not that Ishtar rejected him if Ares presented himself as virile and strong, but she accepted him if he wanted to be kind and gentle, she demanded nothing of him nor even loyalty, but in return, the only thing she asked was that he demands nothing of her, and he complied with pleasure, that he like when other soldiers, be they half-gods or mortals insinuate themselves to Ishtar. 

She didn’t take much notice of them, but their presence was still noticed by the god of war. But that was the things in the relationship they shared hurt him, it was the fact that even if her touch was sometimes rough, sometimes gentle, it meant nothing, or it was supposed to, at least for her it meant nothing. 

Ares knew he could refuse her, he could reject her regulate flirting, but the problem was that he did not want this, that not only his body relieved its carnal necessities but also his heartfelt warm and protected, and he also, couldn't bear the thought of someone else bringing to Ishtar the kind of pleasurable sensations that he brought and inflicted on her, just the mear thought of someone venerating her body as he did made him extremely angry, but he opted to think about how it felt to be with her, how it felt to venerate someone, but also be venerated as a not just a god but a lover.

Suddenly everything shifted, when Alexander died, it was unexpected, they were faced with imminent separation, and melancholy ensued to take Ares’ heart, the god of war resented the human for dying so soon and spoiling all his fun, he had feelings for Ishtar and he knew someone so desirable as her would move on fast, but what he didn’t expect was what she proposed.

“ I don’t think we should you know to separate… I think we are a good team. So what do you say ?”- Ishtar asked him

“ You are saying you want to stay with me ?”- Ares asked almost dumbfounded

“ Yes, you’re surprised ?”- Ishtar 

“ A little bit, I don’t know what are we going to do in Greece .”- Ares 

“ We can maybe go somewhere else, search for something new.”- Ishtar 

“ I never thought about that, but where would we go ?”- Ares 

“ I‘ve heard that there was a Trojan, that came to Latium a region of central western Italy, that he was a great king and one of his sons just founded a city. I would love to see where this goes.”- Ishtar 

“ Italy you say, I don’t remember going there, have you ever set foot there ?”- Ares asked

“ No but I’m willing to try .”- Ishtar 

“ So be it, to Italy then .”- Ares 

“ So we go, partner .”- Ishtar 

“Partner, I quite like that.”- Ares told her

“ Me too.”- Ishtar 

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

Turns out it was a good idea to go to this new city called Rome, people would long talk about the Roman empire, Ishtar and Ares fought with the Romans for years, they were not too different from the Greeks at least in Ares’ eyes, they even worshipped him but they called him Mars for some reason, it was a good life, leaving in Rome and with the legions, it was generally entertaining seeing how politics unfolded and how leaders came to power and fell as rotten fruit from a tree. 

Ares and Ishtar hadn’t come across new deities, there were other religions for that they were sure, many of the slaves the empire acquired in wars believed in different gods, and that intrigued Ishtar more than it did Ares. The god of war thought each day more and more about how his relationship with Ishtar had changed him, he found his peace with her, he no longer enjoyed solely the battles and the carnage of the battles, he came to enjoy the quiet moments when he and Ishtar would just sit on the Atrium of their Domus, where they laughed and played like children.

It was paradise until they were sent to the Province of Britain, a faraway place, the journey was tortuous. It was the farthest either one of them had ever gone and it surely differed from what they knew, the weather was not the best, the cold wasn’t the worst but it rained. They fought with the legions yet it wasn’t until they marched into the goblin forest thinks shifted. They marched with a smaller legion to investigate the rumors of a horned man who controlled the wild animals and attacked the hunters of the area.

For mere mortals would think it was a demonic spirit or a group of bandits, but Ishtar and Ares knew as soon as they heard of the rumors, they knew there was something off about that so they offered themselves to go after whatever was attacking the hunters. As they went to the forest, Ishtar and Ares could feel the energy of the forest, the place had something more than just bandits.

Their legion went into the forest, the tension between soldiers was very fearsome, the forest was humid and dark, something different from the forests in Greece, none of the soldiers dared to speak even a buzz. Ares wasn’t paying much attention, he knew the tension but he wasn't entertained by the situation, he wanted to go to a battle not scour a forest for some bandits, but Ishtar was so excited when she heard about the rumors of another god that Ares decided to just tag along. 

Ares was so distracted by his own thoughts he didn't even see the roots of the trees moving and crawling on his horse, it only came to his knowledge that something was wrong when his horse jolted and he landed on the cold humid floor. His awareness came into action when he saw all the men be attacked by the roots of the trees around them. In one swift leap, he stood up and brought his hand on the sheath of his sword. But before he could draw his sword, he felt a hand preventing him from wielding his sword, as he looked away he saw Ishtar. She pulled him behind a tree looking for cover. 

“ What are you doing ?”- Ares asked 

“ Shh, just trust me, stay quiet .”- Ishtar said 

He had no idea why she was lucking around for cover, they were both gods of war, she was older than him, Ishtar was one of the oldest deities that represented war on this world, and she was not looking forward to facing this unknown god, Ares didn’t know if he should feel confused by her actions or afraid, because if she was being cautious with this deity he might as well be something of a big deal. 

The screams from the man stopped, as Ares and Ishtar observed from their hiding place, not that they were well hidden but the black armor helped them to camouflage with the dark trees. The small road they were walking in was now silent as if there wasn’t a legion walking by a second ago. From within the branches and the threes form the other side of the road, a man, a tall man appeared, he was a tall horned god, probably a deity of the forest his body was that of a man, covered with tattoos similar to those of the warriors that Ares and Ishtar had put on the island of Brittany.

Ares looked back at his companion, Ishtar was looking at that peculiar being in a way Ares had seen a few times before. She looked at him with adoration, she was intrigued by the being, he was surely different from what they had seen back at the continent, but he god of war felt a sting, he didn’t want Ishtar to look to anyone like that, anyone but him. The realization hit him but he tried to whelmed whatever he was feeling. He looked back at the man but in the process stumped his feat in one of the many leaves of the floor. 

“ Who is there ?”- The man asked 

Ishtar looked back at Ares, with her finger over her lips, telling him to stay quiet, he asked himself why would she continuously be so cautious around this unknown god.

“ It’s alright little friend, they will not hurt you anymore.”- The god said looking at a nearby bush

Ares didn’t know why that feeling was taking over him as Ishtar looked upon that man but as the horned unknown man-god closer to them, Ishtar decided to act. She jumped on to the road. 

“ Believe me when I say they would never.”- Ishtar told the man taking a step closer to him 

“ Who are you and what are you doing here Roman ?”- He asked, apprehension on his voice, Ares cold feel the trees trembling and the roots, preparing to attack again

“ I am no Roman though I fight for them. I’m Ishtar, we have been looking for other gods for a long time now.”- Ishtar said removing, she knew mortal men would always have the illusion that she was a man, but God could see her for what she was 

“ Another god, I thought you were a myth.”- The horned man said 

“ You are Cernunnos if I’m not wrong.”- Ishtar 

“ Yes.”- He told her 

“ And this is Ares my …”- Ishtar

“ Paramour .”- Ares interrupted her jumping back to the road 

Ishtar looked back at him, the word paramour did bring some suspicion, he had never called her that, but now look to his face she had her answer, he was looking staring at the being in front of them, he had one of his hands on his shoulder, and he seemed to be bothered by the presence of the other being. She knew it was jealousy, but she didn’t know why.

“ Ohh … are you the man from Thermopylae ?”- Cernunnos

“ Yeah, that’s me .”- Ares said 

“ I’ve heard the story, is it all true .”- Cernunnos asked 

“ Well yes .”- Ares 

That was the first time they meet another being, another deity, but it was also the first time Ishtar saw Ares' jealousy, they would mostly interact as friends and that was the first time Ishtar saw Ares looking and feeling something like jealousy, she couldn't even fathom why would he feel jealous, she told herself it was because she was friends, but deep down she had the suspicion, but she wouldn't voice it, in the name of their friendship. 


	5. Varekai

In time empires fell and were lost, like tears in rain, yet Ares didn’t think much of his home, he didn't even know if Greece was his home anymore, after the fall of Rome the two began to roam the continents, on the way they met new gods, some who were fleeing from their homes others immigrating to other places, Ares learned the word Varekai, which meant "home is where the heart is", something with which he increasingly identified himself with. 

Great wars happened and they both fought them, Ares could remember well all of them, he remembered the battle of Jerusalem when he and Ishtar helped the Islamics returning to Jerusalem, he remembered seeing at least three other gods on the battlefield, he understood that wars got bigger and bigger because more and more gods from different places were fighting the wars. 

But nothing was like the _Second World War_ , Ares did not remember knowing that in his life of such a great evil as the Axis, Ares didn’t remember things being bloody like this. Warriors didn't need to be skilled anymore, they were just pawns in the game of ambitious men, war was no longer the same thing, there was no confrontation, it was no longer what gave Ares pleasure. 

Ares and Ishtar were in England at that time, they were different than when they had started their journey, they were a house in the countryside, courtesy of a witch who had given up her house to different gods, almost like a fraternity, Ares remembered that time very well, Ishtar was dressed in a black suit, her hair was braided, and she was sitting on a couch reading the newspaper next to the fireplace in the living room, on the first page there was news about the German attack on the Soviet Union, and recruitment advertisements.

“It is horrible, these new gods have no scruples.”- Ishtar said 

“ What do you expect of these people? They are animals, they already showed their true colors by trying to kill anyone who isn’t them. What were you expecting?”- Ares said sitting beside her

“ I wasn’t expecting much of them, but brake a treaty with the red army, I hope those vile idiots get crushed by Cherno.”- Ishtar said continuing to read the newspaper

“ Chernabog and Morozko will get to them, as they always do.”- Ares

“ General winter and death always go hand in hand . “- Ishtar

“ But that’s not it, what is it ?”- Ares asked 

“ What ?”- Ishtar

“ You are appreciating, what was it ? “- Ares asked 

“ I know it has been a long time, but … I heard there is a plan, to go to France, to liberate France and crush the Nazis .”- Ishtar 

“ And you want to go there ?”- Ares 

“ Yes.”- Ishtar said closing the newspaper and placing the piece of paper on your lap 

“ I don’t like the Nazis, but I don’t know if we engage in this war, would we make any difference. There are at least 20 of the gods we know fighting only on the Europian front, I don’t know if we can do any difference.”- Ares

“ We will only know if we try.”- Ishtar 

“ So, you have already made up your mind ?”- Ares asked 

“ Yes.”- Ishtar 

“ So when are we going ? “- Ares 

“ You don’t need to go, Ares, this is something I need to do.”- Ishtar 

“ When has it been a sat back for me, that is something you want to do. If you are going I’m going, no muss no fuss.”- Ares

“ It’s not going to be easy .”- Ishtar

“ I never said I wanted to be easy, and otherwise easy is boring.”- Ares

“ Well then let’s go back in then.”- Ishtar 

It did not take them long to enlist and introduce not only the new weapons of which they had some knowledge and how now the armies functioned, however many of the recruits were or children in the vision of the two or inexperienced. They could feel the fear of those people, they did not understand that fear, but soon they came to understand, they were in a metal box, a boat towards the beaches of Normandy. 

The sound was deafening, the soldiers were sneaking through the rubble on the beach and those who didn't sneak had death as a consequence, that was much more chaotic and unpredictable than they remembered, it seemed like a short time since Ishtar and Ares had fought for the last time, but that was far from being what they knew. But they quickly adapted to return to those places gave them some thought, the world could’ve ended at that moment, but it didn’t. The war didn’t last for long as Ishtar had foreseen for both the Red Army and the Allied Army where Ares and Ishtar were marched into Berlin. 

Ishtar and Ares were sent to Crete after the end of the war in Europe, Ishtar can see the tension in Ares' gaze when they were directed to Crete but it didn't make them roll, and in a week they were already stepping on Greek soil. They were asked by the command to go plainclothes and look for potential places of hiding, but all that they knew was that something was hidden by the Nazis on the island. 

So they roamed the island, they found some point but were commanded to stay there as spies, looking for Nazis who would run away using Crete as a gate out of Europe, it wasn’t exactly exciting, but none the less it was work that had to be done. But overall it was a fairly boring job, more of a vacation than a mission. Ishtar liked the place, she didn’t really understand why Ares would want to never go back to that place, yet she knew the pain of a broken heart was enough for nor wanting to go back. 

In five years they became fairly happy with the arrangement they had, people would think they were married, and it was easy for them to play the part of it, they already had sex and started to sleep on the same bed they even called each other paramour, they had a little house on the island and would look at the ocean, it wasn’t a glorious and luxurious living but it was good enough for them. Secretly Ares did want to find his family again, he had cut ties with his pantheons centuries ago, but something in him still wanted to know they weren’t annihilated like others in the emergence of monotheists.

He knew his uncle Hades and his wife Renfri had fought against the legions, he had heard from Lucifer himself, and an archangel that defected and started to fight for another god or goddess Shiva, he had defected and became her paramour, but he didn’t know about the rest of his family, but when he thought about it Ishtar came before all of them, so he didn’t give much thought to that, as long as she was with him he was at home. So he wouldn’t crazily look for his family, he just waited as if he would just bump into them on the street. 

Ares and Ishtar lived their days quietly, they usually had coffee and walked to a tent to buy the baklava and go after whoever they had to. That day was a sunny day, it was early autumn, 5 years after they arrived in Crete, Ares went to the white one where they bought baklava, the salesman already knew them so he already knew exactly what Ares wanted. They were distracted waiting for Ishtar to come down the street so that they could go on with their day, but then a voice came to Ares' ears.

“ Please give me the walnut one .”- That voice reached Ares’ ears

He looked at his side, and there he was Hermes, black hair, dark brown skin, and his dark auburn eyes, those the same as Ares, he pondered with himself if he should say anything but before he could say anything, Hermes looked back at him, his eyes opened in surprised, they both just looked at each other as two children that hand seen each other for a long time. 

“ Hermes ?”- Ares

Ares couldn’t say anything else before Hermes jumped to his arms and hugged him, he hugged his brother back. He could see at a glance the salesman looking strangely at them but didn’t seem to pay much attention to them. Ares pulled away a held his younger brother’s face, Hermes had tears in his eyes, and had a big joyful smile, he thought back but couldn’t think of any of his family members being that happy seeing him, yet that didn’t make his smile less heartening. 

“ Ares, you are alive .”- Hermes acknowledged as Ares brushed the tears of his brother’s face

“ You thought I was dead ?”- Ares asked 

“ You didn’t come back after Alexander died, we thought … Ares we thought …. We mourned you .”- Hermes said 

“ Ohh, I’m sorry for not writing but, I had thinks to do .”- Ares said taking his hands of his brother 

“ I got your rock, the blue one … “- Hermes said pulling himself together

“ Ohh, hmm, that’s good, I … “- Ares

“ Soo, have you been here, for long ?”- Hermes asked

“ Yeah, I’ve been leaving here for five years now.”- Ares 

“ Five years? I didn’t know you were here .”- Hermes stated the obvious, Ares could see his brother was quite nervous

“ Yes, I have, I thought you guys had moved on, so I didn’t reach out .”- Ares 

“ Well, some of us have, but we are all coming back now, Artemis is going to get married, so .”- Hermes

“ Artemis, married, I never thought that she would get married, it just wasn’t her, but good for her.”- Ares 

“ Yeah, so do you have a place on the island?”- Hermes

“ Yes, I leave on a blue house at the top of that street.”- Ares said pointing to the slope that crossed the street where they were 

“ Great...So what have you been up tp in the last millennia ?”- Hermes asked

“ Sir can you get me the walnut one please.”- Another voice came to Ares 

He turned and saw her, Ishtar was a vision that he had gotten used to, Ares understood he was being confronted with the two parts of his life. One in the past, when he was another person, and the one he was now, he looked back at his brother and he looked at her, in a strange way, not in disgust, but that was a surprise culminated with some adoration. It was puzzling, to say the least. 

“ Hermes, I want you to meet my paramour, Ishtar .”- Ares told his brother 

Ishtar looked back at Ares, a little confused but quickly she realized the third person who was with them, Hermes turned to look at Ares totally surprised by the situation.

“ It’s nice to meet you .”- Ishtar said extending her hand to Hermes 

“ Nice to meet you two.”- Hermes told her shaking her hand 

“ So I think we should get going, we should go home .”- Ares told 

“ We can see each other later, maybe I’ll see you at Artemis’ wedding.”- Hermes 

“ If she invites us sure .”- Ares involuntarily caught himself saying us 

“ See you then.”- Hermes said, Ares noticed the discontent in his brother's voice that his reunion had been so brief but he knew that if Hermes knew about his whereabouts soon the rest of his family would know

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

That night the subject came up, they usually stayed longer away from home, but that day Ares insisted on them coming home as soon as possible, they were in their room Ares was lying on the bed with his back against the headboard, with a book in hand, a book called Foundation, by a writer called Isaac Asimov, many people would be cautious to read the book by a Russian author, but Ares wasn’t just anybody. The book talks about a long time on different planets and new sciences, he wondered if someday it would be like this, but before he could read more about the adventures of Gaal Dornick and Hari Sheldon, Ishtar left the bathroom connected with the room they shared. 

“ You know I thought about what your brother said, I think we should go. “- Ishtar said going up to her side of the bed 

“ Go where ?”- Ares aid not taking the eyes of his book 

“ You know at your sister wedding .”- Ishtar said sitting close to Ares 

“ I don’t think it would be good.”- Ares said again not looking back at Ishtar 

At this point Ares wasn’t reading his book anymore he was only waiting for Ishtar to take actions into her own hand, so it didn’t surprise him when she took the book out of his hands making him look back at her. 

“ I’m serious Ares.”- Ishtar 

“ Me too!”- Ares

“ So why can we go. I think it’s going to be good for you, I saw how you almost cried when you saw your brother .”- Ishtar 

“ It’s not because of Hermes I don’t want to go .”- Ares 

“ So it’s because of me then. I can …”- Ishtar 

“ It’s not because of you, it’s my family, their not the most you know, loving people, especially with a …”- Ares

“ A foreigner ?”- Ishtar interrupted him

“ No, a beautiful woman.”- Ares 

“ Ares, trying to flatter me is not going to work.”- Ishtar 

“ I’m not, believe me, I have no intention of stating the obvious about your beauty, is just that I don’t know how they are going to react to you .”- Ares 

“ And how would that be .”- Ishtar 

“ Nina my father thinks more with his dick than with his head, and even if he did think with his head he would do what his dick tells him to do. I just don’t want them to hurt you.”- Ares said brushing her hair off of her face 

“ Ares I can take care of myself, you know that .”- Ishtar 

“ I know you can, the only thing I don’t want is my father and the rest of my family making you feel uncomfortable.”- Ares

“ I know, but …”- Ares 

Before Ares could give Ishtar another reason, not to go to whatever crazy family reunion was taking place, a bird literally can on to the window of their home, the owl carried a letter, Ares swiftly came to the realization of what that was, he sighs and rolled back his eyes.

“ Saved by the bell.”- Ishtar went to the window and got the letter from the owl that flew away immediately 

“ I don’t so.”- Ares said looking at the selling as the sound of the letter being opened

“ Let’s see… You have been cordially invited for the wedding of Artemis and Sehkmet, that will take place in a weeks time… Well I guess to know that we have been cordially invited.”- Ishtar read the letter 

“ Really ?”- Ares asked sitting up to look at Ares 

“ Oh let’s go it’s not like it’s going to kill you .”- Ishtar 

“ Okay, let’s got .”- Ares said giving

“ Yes!!”- Ishtar exclaimed jumping on the bed atop of Ares 

“Now where were we when this bullshit about my family...”- Ares

Ares didn't even end his phrase before Ishtar kissed his lips and pulling his hair as throwing the invite aside, he thought to himself, her kiss still felt as good as when they first kissed in that forest in India, knowing she would be there did make him feel a little better about having to face his family. 


	6. Stunning

A week passed like lightning, and when Ares saw himself again he was looking on the mirror, he was dressed in a black suit and a red rose in the pocket of his blazer, he looked at himself, he knew that the butterflies on his stomach were only making him more nervous than he already was. 

“ You ready ?”- Ishtar’s voice took Ares off of his thoughtful state

He looked at her, she was beautiful, not that she wasn’t usually beautiful, she was truly stunning, he felt good seeing her like that, on a black dress that exposed all the right parts, Ares smiled as he saw her, but his mind was taken over that he wouldn’t be the only one to see that, he was taken by a sudden rage when the realization that his father and brother would most likely try to woo her into sleeping with them. 

“ You don’t look happy .”- Ishtar acknowledged 

“ I’m tempted to ditch my family and staying at home .”- Ares said trying to hide his anger 

“ Why? You look good yourself, why would you want to ditch a party, I mean doesn’t matter how bad it goes, free booze makes all worth it.”- Ishtar said getting closer to Ares and fixing his blazer

“ You look stunning.”- Ares told her

“ Thank you. “- Ishtar said a she looked back at his eyes 

“ That’s what concerns me .”- Ares said cupping her face with his right hand 

“ Ares, I know how to take care of myself.”- Ishtar changed her tone slightly 

“ I know you do, I trust your abilities and instincts, I just don’t trust them.”- Ares 

“ Ares they are your family …”- Ishtar 

“ And that’s how I know they are no good.”- Ares interrupted her 

“ It’s just one night . “- Ishtar

“ I know, but one night is enough for them to fuck everything up.”- Ares 

“ Everything we need to do is not let them fuck without night, let them go at each other, as we drink and eat for free at the side.”- Ishtar 

As much as Ishtar tried to encourage him but it didn’t do much for him, even though they both went on their way and made their way to Olympus. As they got there, they mingled in the middle of the little crowd, that formed as the night had fallen. It was a nice ceremony, on the temple of Artemis, Ares and Ishtar, stayed within the crowd not without drawing too much attention to themselves, so a few glances from the people around him but no one looked twice at him. 

Ares looked at his sister Artemis and her now-wife Sekhmet looked really happy, but t wasn’t made him smile. As Artemis and Sekhmet were proclaiming each other their undying love, Ares felt a hand grabbing his hand, and as he looked down to know that was Ishtar. He looked side was at her, as she did the same they smiled at each other, it was so subtle which made Ares feel that that little gesture was even more intimate, he would never admit that but he loved to feel that close to Ishtar, he felt closer to her when she held his hand in public than when they were having sex, he couldn't explain why he just felt it. 

The ceremony ended quickly and the party started, gods playing games, laughing about a joke someone had made and some were drinking themselves to an early drunken state. All the guests lined up to greet and congratulate the new couple, it didn’t take long for Ares and Ishtar’s turn to come, and as soon as Artemis’ eyes feel on to Ares’ figure her eyes widen in into shock and surprise, the god of war was waiting for his sister to slap him across his face or any other reprimanding act but instead of that she hugged him. 

“ I thought Hermes was delusional.”- Artemis whispered on her brother 

“ It’s good to see you to Artemis .”- Ares said hugging her back 

“ Thank the gods you are well .”- Artemis 

“ I never thought you would be worried about me.”- Ares said surprised by his sister's reaction 

“ Of course I was worried, we thought you had died.”- Artemis said pulling back to look at her brother 

“ Well, if I had died I’d be with uncle Hades know.”- Ares 

“ No you dingus the pantheon thought you had ceased to exist. “- Artemis 

“ There is no way I was going to vanish into thin air, who else would the pantheon have to hate if I ceased to exist .”- Ares 

“ Well, we missed you, it’s good to see you are okay.”- Artemis 

“ Soo Artemis, I want you to meet Ishtar, she is my …”- Ares 

“ Paramour .”- Ishtar cut him off

“ Yes, my beloved paramour.”- Ares

“ Ohh, it’s very nice to meet you .”- Artemis greeted Ishtar 

“ You guys are a lovely couple.”- Ishtar remarked

“ Thank you so much .”- Artemis said holding Sehkemet’s hands 

After that Ares and Ishtar headed to a table, not to close to the center but not too far away from it, they wouldn’t be the center of attention, but neither would they overlook the celebration as if they were flies on the wall. They drank wine and a little of the whiskey from the silver canteen that Ares had bought in London, as the other guests looked at the Sehkemet and Artemis had their dance, Ares and Ishtar only looked at each other, for some moments it was as if they were alone in the room just appreciating being together.

Until Ares felt a pat on his shoulder, he didn't know who could that be, but he was afraid of the options, Zeus who would most likely be looking for a way to woo Ishtar, that would most likely end in a fight between him and his father, or it could be even worst, Aphrodite could be there, it wouldn’t break his spirit to see her again but he surely wouldn’t enjoy having his old lover trying to look down on him and Ishtar, with her jealous ways. 

Though he felt relief, it was nether Aphrodite nor Zeus, his mother image was more comforting than ever, he rose to shake her hand and Ishtar did the same, even though he did not know who that woman with brown hair and dark auburn eyes was in front of him, but by looking between Ares and her, Ishtar could quickly understand that the resemblance between them was uncanny. 

“ Mother. “- Ares said looking at his mother, he had missed her the most 

“ My son, you look good, you look very, very good.”- Hera said cupping her son’s face with her hands 

Ishtar was a tad confused, but she thought maybe she didn’t connect Hera to the image of a doting mother because most of the myths about her involved her punishing the children her husband had made out of wedlock, but it was nice to see the goddess had a different side to herself.

“ Mother I want you to meet someone special… This is Ishtar my paramour, and frankly my soul mate.”- Ares told his mother grabbing Ishtar’s hand 

The goddess felt flattered, Ares a very intense person, Ishtar had known he had feelings for her for a long time, she would lie if she said she didn't have feelings for the charming and handsome god, but Ares never really voiced his feelings, that had been the first time he referred to her as his soul mate, she noted in her said that when they were back in private she would tell him that she felt in the same way. 

“ It’s very good to meet you, your highness.”- Ishtar told Hera addressing her as the queen of Olympus 

“ Your eyes, they look like a burning soon.”- Hera said grabbing Ishtar’s face causing the other goddess to lightly flinch but not enough to cause Hera to see it

“ I’ve told her that, but she always says her eyes are plain.”- Ares 

“ I just never found them to be extraordinary, they are very much plain for me.”- Ishtar 

“ No this is not plain, they are the eyes of a queen.”- Hera told as she pulled away from Ishtar 

“ Thank you your highness.”- Ishtar thanked Hera for her kind remarks 

“ I wish you tow the best, I am very happy that my son has finally found true love. I’m sorry for abbreviating our talk but your father is going to make a fool of himself if he keeps drinks ”- Hera said and went in her way to the table where Zeus was 

“ That went better than I thought it would, not that I was ever presented to any of my lover's parents anyway.”- Ishtar 

“ Yeah it did.”- Ares

“ You know what you are owing me ?”- Ishtar

“ No .”- Ares 

“ A dance .”- Ishtar 

“ Ohh no.”- Ares lamented 

“ We are already here, we better do it while we can .”- Ishtar said puling him the dance floor 

“ Do we really have to, I already drank all of my whiskey, well we did, I’m already not sober enough to dance .”- Ares tried to convince her as she pulled him along 

“ As if I know that is not enough to even get you to your dumb drunk state.”- Ishtar 

“Okay fair enough.”- Ares said as he gave up and went along 

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

The music that played was some kind of jazz, some music by Frank Sinatra, a new singer that had become quite popular after the war. The way they danced as if no one was around made Ares remember of when they were in France, the Allies had gained a significant advantage on the Nazis taking back a lot of the county, so the group was deployed to a little city near Paris where they would stay for a night and then regroup with the rest of the army. He remembered that night not perfectly but somewhat well, he didn’t remember if it rained, snowed, or it the sky was stared.

He remembered that he and Ishtar had come back to her true form, as she was using her male for so that none would suspect her true identity, not that it changed anything for Ares he still had his feelings, but know she was on her true form, they both were dancing, laughing because they were not dancing to the toon, he remembered her soo well, she was the only thing he did remember from that night, she was the most beautiful person he had ever come to know, but at that moment he realized he hadn’t fallen in love with that other being at the moment they meet, but she had grown on him and that made him that more at her mercy. 

That was the same music they were dancing to now, so the memory came back flying into his mind. They were looking at each other, as they did when they danced outside that bar, Ares knew Ishtar by touch, smell, voice, and look, and he wouldn't have it anyway around. He loved her, he had admitted that to himself, on that night in France, but he wasn’t willing to fuck the only truly good relationship because of his dumb feelings, those feelings that destroyed him when she called him a friend and he thought of her being with someone else even though she would tell him if she did so, by also that feeling that made him love her and make love to her every time she looked a little suggestively at him. 

He was convinced that she could never love him the way he loved her, even if she was accompanying him to a family party where most people would assume he was already married, even if she smiled at him as she had never before with her husbands, even if she knew they were never so important to her, yet he was oblivious to all of that. 

As the song ended she grabbed his hand and they went back to their table, Ishtar had decided some time ago she would make her feelings known to Ares, she didn’t know if she should do that on a public place or on their home, she was conflicted in telling him everything there, so his reaction would be dilled down but before they could go to back to their table a voice came looking for them. 

“ Ares .”- He remembered that voice from his nightmares, so when he turned and saw Aphrodite he wasn’t surprised

She was on a black dress as was Ishtar, but her dress was far more revealing than his paramour’s, her long red hair was elegantly brushed and she had her signature red lips.

“ It’s good finally seeing you again.”- Aphrodite said with her voice, masking something Ares knew that voice all too well 

“ Aphrodite.”- Ares said coldly, he had never said her name in such an unemotional way, and he knew it would piss her off

“ And you are ?”- Aphrodite said turning her head to Ishtar 

She clearly said that In disdain probably thinking that Ishtar is some nymph or a minor goddess, but the sun-eyed goddess did not shake before the goddess of beauty and love, she was also a greater goddess so she only answered magnanimously. 

“ I’m Ishtar, Ares’ paramour .”- Ishtar said looking Aphrodite skeptically 

“ Is that so ?”- Aphrodite said looking back at Ares as if she had some kind of control over him 

“ Yes it is .”- Ares said squeezing his hold in Ishtar's hand, however not enough to hurt her 

“ Ares could I have a minute to talk to you ?”- Aphrodite said

“ We are already talking aren’t we ?” - The brown-haired man asked his ex-lover almost in a sarcastic way 

“ Alone .”- She said looking back again to Ishtar that held Ares’ hand, Ishtar could feel the daggers in Aphrodite’s look

“ If you want to ?”- Ares said and Aphrodite went in her merry way along to a more privet 

“ Ares.”- Ishtar said holding his hand back 

“ Nina I need to finish this, on my own .”- Ares said, his voice was quite melancholic 

As he went over to were Aphrodite was, Ishtar felt a sadness creeping in her body, but for Ares, it was different he felt determined because he was going to get closer, give Aphrodite a piece of his mind, and finish thin once and for all with her. 


	7. Fireflies

Ares went into that balcony Aphrodite had gone is a gladiator entering on the coliseum, he was going to tell her everything he needed to tell her and go back to being with the person he loved, as he entered the balcony he saw her, standing there as she did when they were lovers, looking at him with her green eyes, in other times that would make his legs shake, now it was not even affecting him. 

“ I missed you .”- Aphrodite tried sounding innocently 

“ Tell me how I knew this was the first thing you were going to say?”- Ares asked with a smile on his face

“Because you missed me too.”- Aphrodite 

“ I didn’t miss a thing.”- Ares said unaffected 

“ But where were you ? “- Aphrodite 

“ I don’t know. Leaving my life I guess .”- Ares said toying with her 

“ Well everything is in the past now. “- Aphrodite said stepping closer to Ares 

“ You really think that ?”- Ares asked, he didn’t hide his rage, but he didn’t scream, he only asked her back as if what she just said was a very bad joke

“ Ares …”- Aphrodite

“ No, no, no Ares. You really think that you can use your charm to make me forget everything you did. You lied to me and fucked another guy, and thought after years I would forgive you. Do you really think I'm that shallow and desperate, you must think that I have no self-love, though you tried to destroy it I still have some love for myself. ”- Ares

Her face fell, the smile she had gone away, and Ares had never felt that sense of fulfillment before, he was winning. 

“ Ohh soo now you are the pinnacle of morality do I have to remember you how we got together ?!”- She asked angrily 

“ I remember quite well, but I had a good time out of your claws, and I came to understand that I don’t need you to feel good.“- Ares told her looking he read in the eye

“ You don’t know what you are talking about.”- Aphrodite 

“ Well I do, and I promise you, we will never get back together. I’ve changed and there is nothing you can do because I don’t need you anymore.“- Ares said smiling almost sadistically 

“ It’s impossible, we are gods, we are as mountains and the wind cannot bend the mountain.”- Aphrodite said 

“ And that was you are wrong, I wish that you find something or someone that brings you happiness. But that person will not be me .”- Ares 

“ So that's it, you are leaving behind for little goddess, or whatever the fuck that project of a being is?”- Aphrodite asked outraged

“ Well, Ishtar is no minor goddess, she is actually called the queen of the skies, because of her wings, she hides them under her skin but believes me they are strong enough to get her and almost five other high up in the skies, I think it's kind of funny, she is the one who freed me, my love for her freed me from being grounded by you.”-Ares 

“ So you find this funny?”- Aphrodite asked again utterly offended 

“ Yes, I find it funny that you are not going to have what you want. Please have a great life, but don't count of me to come in that. Goodbye Aphrodite.”-Ares 

Ares turned his back to Aphrodite and went away, he could listen to her saying he would regret it but he wasn't giving much mind to her.

“ Where are you going ?”- Aphrodite 

“ I'm gonna tell someone I love them.”- Ares 

He felt good, the conclusion did feel good he packed his suit and went back into the temple hall where the feast, he looked back at the table where he and Ishtar had sat but she was not there, he looked for the feast and she was not present either before he could tax himself crazy, he saw that the doors trim the gardens of Olympus were open so he went in search of Ishtar.

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

As Ares went on with Aphrodite, Ishtar went back to their table, a cold manifesting in her stomach, she knew that it was not only fear but also jealousy, she knew of Aphrodite's story with Ares, and she knew he still had some kind of feeling for her, though she didn’t know if the feeling was good or bad. As she sat alone she overlooked the party, she immediately felt out of place, but as Ishtar look at the party, she saw some people getting out of the party. 

Ishtar with not many other options went on and as she went to the door, it came to her view a garden, it was decorated with fireflies in the tree and a labyrinth made of living fence, she went out the door, and as soon as she put her feet on the grass of the garden a firefly landed on her nose. But then the firefly flew and without thinking twice she followed the firefly and followed the little luminous insect into the labyrinth. 

She ran after the firefly, as the insect flew away she looked upon was she saw, it was probably the middle of the maze, the place had a fountain and many other fireflies were flying over the fountain. Ishtar went closer to the fountain and sat at the concrete bench, as she contemplated the fireflies, as she looked about those creatures she lost track of time, she was so into her thoughts that she didn’t realize that another person had reached the middle of the maze where she was. 

“ I always found them perplexing, they fireflies, are so beautiful, but if they feel threatened they may mirror an authentically flammable substance.”- She heard 

She looked back, and there standing back was Hermes, she remembered him from the street when she and Ares encountered him on that baklava sale the week before, now she could take in his features better than she had done when they first met. Ishtar saw the eyes, dark auburn almost the same as Ares’, he smiled at her, and stepped closer to her, and sat on the bench next to her. 

“ I think we weren’t formally introduced.”- Hermes said extending her hands 

“ I remember you from the street in Crete, you’re Ares’s brother, Hermes.”- Ishtar said shaking his hand 

His smile was very friendly, and she looked back at the fireflies, but she could feel Hermes still looking at her. So she looked back at him. 

“ You and Ares had been together for long.”- Hermes 

“ We have been known each other for long, I think since he went to Babilon.”- Ishtar

“ I remember when he went, I missed him, a lot ...I remember he sent me a stone, since you are from there he sent me a stone and I don’t know what type of stone that is so ...”- Hermes 

“ Ohhh you are the brother from the stone ?”- Ishtar 

“ Yes .”- Hermes 

“ I wanted to ask you, why a stone ?”- Ishtar turned to Hermes 

“ Well they tell a bigger story than were they simply came from .”- Hermes

“ I guess that is interesting in its own special way.”- Ishtar 

They stayed in silence again and awkwardly looked back at the fireflies that, the silence between them wasn’t actually awkward but Ishtar wasn’t a master at making new friends, a hint of why Ares was her only friend. But a question rose in Hermes's head and he couldn’t censor himself fast enough. 

“ So when are you and Ares getting married ?”- Hermes asked

Ishtar was taken by surprise, she and Ares hadn’t really told anyone about their relationship. Ares called hr his paramour but that left a lot of space for interpretation, but she didn't think that someone would ask her about it, though she did ask her why was she even surprised. They didn’t talk about it after all people would start to talk and ask themselves about it. 

“ Well, me and Ares we… we haven’t really talked about it, it’s complicated.”- Ishtar 

“ But I thought you two were in love the way you look and talk to each other, it’s very clear for any third party, you guys even call each other paramour.”- Hermes

“ Yes, we do, but we never really have a serious talk about our feelings, I wouldn’t say we are consciously together, but I wouldn’t say we aren’t.”- Ishtar 

“ Ohh, so you have an arrangement, but you haven’t really talked about it ?”- Hermes

“No.”- Ishtar 

“But you don’t sound that good.”- Hermes 

“ Well, I have feelings for your brother, and they aren’t the friends with benefits feelings, but you know, I don’t know thinks are turbulent.”- Ishtar

“ Let me guess, Aphrodite ?”- Hermes 

“ Your guess is right.”- Ishtar 

“ They have some story.”- Hermes admitted very carefully not really wanting to offend Ishtar 

“ I’ve been told .”- Ishtar said looking back at the damn fireflies 

At that moment Hermes, thought to himself, if his brother didn’t love her, he would like to try something with that lady, but he also thought if he should have told her what he knew, he had seen his brother looking at her, he had never looked at anyone like that. They stayed in silence but not for long because swiftly the sound of someone coming to the center of the maze came to their ears. 

Sure enough, there was Ares, he seemed flustered, and had a smile upon his face that quickly became a more neutral surprise face when he saw Ishtar was sitting with his brother, he didn’t seem bothered, but confused, Ishtar on the other hand did not have a smile on her face, she was already thinking about what he was about to say, something about him coming back with Aphrodite, or something like, jealousy took over him, so when Hermes got up she continued sitting down. Hermes walked to his brother and gave him a hug, but it didn't take much time for him to pull back and holding Ares' shoulders.

“ I missed you brother, it’s good seeing you back here.”- Hermes 

“ I missed you too.”- Ares responded a tad confused

He looked back and forth at Ishtar and Hermes not knowing what was happening, and why Ishtar was barely looking at him, the god of war confused with what was going on looked at his brother, with a questioning look. The inquiries began to come to Ares' mind, did Hermes say something that he couldn't divorce? Trying to give some reasons why Ishtar didn't care about her presence, he was her paramour after all. 

“ You better tell her the truth about how you feel.”- Hermes whispered to his brother 

“ What ?”- Ares whispered back 

“ Tell her you love her. Now !!”- Hermes said 

Ares couldn’t put two words out before his brother turned to Ishtar, and she looked back at Hermes more neutrally than she had when she barely glanced at him. 

“ It was a pleasure talking to you miss Ishtar .”- Hermes said

When Ishtar extended her hand to Hermes instead of shaking it as Ares thought a normal person would do he kissed her hand, and lingered there for more than a second. It wouldn’t have been otherwise, yet it kind of stung on Ares. As his brother passed by he looked back at him, telling Ares with his eyes that he should follow what he had just whispered him to do. 

As Hermes walked out of his field of vision, so Ares turned his eyes to Ishtar, who was still not acknowledging his presence. People who didn't know her that well would assume she was only in deep thought, but Ares knew that this was one of the ways in which her rage manifested itself, not explosive anger but quiet rage, Ares knew Ishtar's explosive anger, but rarely had he seen Ishtar's quiet rage manifest itself, and that was what made him fear for his near and distant future. 


	8. Puppy

Ares breathed deeply and went into the middle of the maze, he sat next to her on the stone bench, he waited for her to tell him something but she told him nothing. The smile he had dropped, as he waited for her to tell him something. But the silence prevailed, and it made Ares more and more uneasy, so he looked back her at her, but she didn’t even glance at him. 

“ So, what is it ?”- Ares asked 

“ I don’t know Ares .”- Ishtar said and now he was sure he was angry at him

“ What Nina, I don’t know why you are suddenly angry .”- Ares 

“ Suddenly, of course suddenly, but I think anyone one would be pissed of if they went with someone in a family reunion, and that said person, decided to ditch you for their former lover.”- Ishtar 

“ Nina what are you talking about ?”- Ares asked 

“ I’m talking about you, you and Aphrodite going off together, and you living me alone.”- Ishtar said turning to Ares 

“ What you think I’m going to get back with her?”- Ares asked 

“ Well, that's what you leave to interpretation when without even blink you follow her like a puppy at the first moment she gives you crumbs of her attention!!”- Ishtar 

Ares realized why Hermes had told him to tell her what he felt because she had thought he and Aphrodite were going to get attached again, and not the truth that he only wanted closure, and wanted nothing to do with Aphrodite anymore. 

“ I wouldn’t imagine that came from you, but if you are going to let yourself be used by that, I sadly cannot stay and see you destroying yourself like that.“- Ishtar got up from the bench 

“ No, it’s not what you think. It’s exactly the opposite .”- Ares said getting up and putting himself in front of Ishtar 

“ Ares, don’t lie to me, we’ve known each other for long, too long, please do not insult our relationship by lying to me about your feelings .”- Ishtar 

“ I’m not lying Nina, I swear on my immortal being, I’m not. I only went with her to get closure, to tell her I would never go back to her. And anyway I'm already in love with someone else .”- Ares said looking fondly at Ishtar trying to tell her with his eyes the truth

“ Ohh, so you have made up your mind?”- Ishtar said looking back at his eyes, she looked melancholically at him 

“ Yes, I have for some time now, just looking for the right time to tell them.”- Ares said reaching with his hand to Ishtar’s face 

“ So I won’t stand in your way, I wish you all the happiness in the world.”- Ishtar pulling away from him and walking away from him 

Ares almost punched himself, he tried being the subtle and “ romantic “ type but Ishtar clearly didn’t get the hint, so he resorted in being more direct and pulled her by the arm firmly, of course not enough to hurt her but enough to make her look back at him. 

“ No Ishtar, I’m talking about you .”- Ares said looking right into her eyes 

He saw firsthand the confusing taking care of her features, he didn’t know why, if it was obvious to others that he loved her would it be obvious for her too. But he didn’t know the extent of the confusion for her, she wasn’t just older than him, but already wiser and less keen on getting into a fight as he was, in her eyes, he was much younger than her and their relationship had her admitted to herself, it had an expiry date. She clearly didn't know his side of things. 

“ You love me ?”- Ishtar asked still dumbstruck, she knew he had some kind of feeling for her, but she would have never guessed he love her as she did him 

“ No you imbecile Winston Churchill, of fucking course it’s you.”- Ares said cupping her face on his hands 

“ Wait a minute, when, how, why ?”- Ishtar asked still a little confused

“ I felt something for you since the first time I saw you on that blue armor, but I was too much of a coward to admit that to myself, I was afraid to get hurt again, but it all seemed to fade away when we are together, everything seems so personal when I’m with you that it scares me o death. Things never seemed right for me to tell you how I felt and I also didn't know if someone like you would be with me. Whether you say you're one of the most ancient goddesses I've ever known, you're funny, charismatic, and I'm a mess, a hot mess. But one thing I do know is that I've never felt the way I feel when we're together, you make everything more personal, and more intimate, I feel more connected to you when we're on the park giving bread to some ducks than when used to I sleep with other people. “- Ares 

After that brief love declaration, Ares had no idea how Ishtar would react, but he surely didn’t think about, her having a fit of laughter, and that made him equally more nervous and confused. 

“ So that’s it, you are doing one of those cliches love declarations ?”- Ishtar asked 

“ Yeah I think I am.”- Ares said carefully 

“ And I didn’t tell you to stop.”- Ishtar said smiling at him

That fucking smile, made goosebumps come up his spine because those cooky smile usually were reserved for when they were having their most intimate of moments, usually in a bedroom. And the worst thing was that she was consciously doing that to make him weak on the knees, she knew that and he knew that, and Ishtar knew it was working, because not long after she smiled like that he kneeled in front of her, and continued his cliche act.

“ Damn the gods, you know I don’t love you just for putting up with my shit, which is not an easy fit, and not just because you are and always will be the best sex I had my whole life, but because I never felt that way, and I know from the bottom of my being that I love you, and I would die to you … I wouldn’t just die… I would see to … exist for you and that scares me to death, humm pun not intended, but the point is, you get me and you get my kind of crazy and I love you for that and I never want you to go away.”- Ares

“ You know for someone with the reputation of a mindless agent of chaos, who is a warmongering crazy man, who loves a good fight, you are quite the incurable romantic.”- Ishtar 

“ You have no idea .”-Ares said putting his head against Ishtar’s stomach and wrapping his arms around her waist 

“ I love you too.”- Ishtar she whispered 

“ YOU DO ?”- He asked looking back at her 

“ Are you kidding me ?”- Ishtar asked as she passed her hands through his dark brown hair 

“ Say it again .”- Ares said fleshing her the biggest smile 

“ You really look like a happy puppy right now.”- Ishtar laughed

“ Ohh you can bet I am a happy puppy, but not just happy I also quite horny after you fleshed that diabolical smile at me .”-Ares 

“ Ares .”- She warned looking sideways instinctively trying to find someone who might be spying on them 

Before she looked back down at him, Ares pulled away for a second, just so he could through the front part of her dress over his head. As he to the inner part of her dress he kissed the first patch of naked skin he could find, he could feel her squirming as he kissed up her thighs up to her folds, soon to find out Ishtar wasn't wearing any underwear. 

“ Are you seriously not using any underwear? Why didn’t you tell me that before ?! And when were you planning to tell me that ?!”- Ares as if he had just hit the jackpot 

“ Ares not in here .”- Ishtar managed to say

“ Why not ?”- He whispered his question

“ Because we are not just in public, but we are at your parents’ house, at your sister’s wedding. This is a far cry from anything appropriate.“- Ishtar 

“ Yes .”- Ishtar 

“ Be careful I can think on a lot of things.”- Ares 

“ Yeah, I know. So are we getting out of here, or are you just going to delaying the inevitable.”- Ishtar 

“Let's get the hell out of here.”- Ares got up and as soon as he was on his feet he grabbed Ishtar hand pulling her out of the maze

They went back to the hall where everyone was still celebrating, even though many of them were now sitting at the tables pleasing bottles of various alcoholic beverages, Ares and Ishtar went to Sehkmet and Artemis fled quickly and followed the way back to their home. 

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

They raced home as fast as they could, not even after the door closed behind them, the two kissed each other with the vigor they always had, the two staggered upstairs, Ares' almost slipped, for being too distracted from more kissing Ishar to see the last step but as soon as they reached the room they pulled away from each other. 

“ What ?”- Ares asked looked back at Ishtar 

“ I just … I always went so fast, I think because I feared that maybe someday what we have would end. I was just thinking that.”- Ishtar 

“ So you want to take it a little slower.”- Ares 

“ Yeah, I don, but if it’s not good for you then.”- Ishtar 

“ Who cares what I think ?”- Ares whispered linning in to kiss her

“ I do .”- Ishtar said giving him an Eskimo kiss

“ Let’s take it slowly then, we have all the time in the world.”- Ares said leaning into her Eskimo kiss 

“ I love you, so much, you don’t even know how much.”- Ishtar whispered 

“ Ohh I know.”- Ares whispered

“ And how do you know ?”- Ishtar 

“ Because I love you, more than you will ever know.”- Ares whispered lining in and kiss her 


	9. Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pure smut so be warned !!

Hearts hammering on their chest, the beats were increasingly synchronized, the feel of skin touching and lips looking, Ares felt as if the world around them didn’t exist, it was only them and nothing more, the skin of Ishtar’s body felt like silk to the touch of his hands. He remembered feeling her fingers unbuttoning his shirt and helping him take off his suit, he had already gotten rid of his shoes as soon as they had entered his house so that wasn't something the had to be concerned about. Now they were both laying n their bed and Ishtar was on top of him, he had removed the garnish that held her hair making the black curtain of her hair to fall on her shoulders. 

She was on top of his, she had looked him down for a second, and a goosebump had come upon his spine, he really felt like the prey of a very fierce leopard, the knowledge that she knew exactly what she could do to make him be at her mercy, made her five times more sensual than she already was. 

“For the person who was using no underwear you are stealing using too many clothes.”- Ares said cheekily as he felt Ishtar kiss and bite his nipple 

“ Oh shut up .”- Ishar said going back to overstimulating Ares as much as she could 

“ If you keep kissing me like that, I’m not responsible for what happens next .”- Ares, as he felt the trail o kisses and bite Ishtar, was leaving on his body 

She didn’t even respond to Ares' provocations by focusing only on doing what she liked about him, or on Ares' conception of making him tremble uncontrollably. She ducked down, living her trail of kisses and bites over Ares’ torso. In a fluid motion, she pulled the front of Ares’ pants down and took half of his length into her mouth in one swift move. That feeling drove him to places he didn’t know before, he knew if she took him slow and torturously overstimulated him, Ishtar would make him beg easily. 

Ishtar bopped her head up and down taking in more and more while sucking and pressing her tongue to the underside, and as Ares started to moan and curse, she just hummed in agreement the noise vibrating through Ares’ dick making him shudder and squirm. But then Ishtar drew back, Ares' cock nearly sliding out of her mouth completely, Ares couldn’t help the displeased whine. He bucked involuntarily, to get the sensation back but Ishtar's hand easily pressed his hip onto the sheets and holding him in place, which did not stop Ares from struggling.

However, some hard pressure coming from Ishtar's teeth did the trick and Are went completely still not daring to move anymore. After a few seconds of this with Ares's pulse racing in his ears, she started nibbling on the skin softly before placing a soft kiss to the very tip. When Ishtar's lips left his cock, Ares thought this was it, she was only going to toy with him and he would be pleased to be at her mercy. But instead, her tongue darted out licking a wet strip from his balls to his very tip only to repeat the gesture a bit to the left. Only this time her tongue pressed against Ares' slit and wiggled until Ares was practically begging.

Ishtar continued licking leaving wet traces all over Ares' cock until he was back at the top and fucking drooled. Ares shivered as he could feel the spit slowly drip down his length all the way to the hair at the base, leaving cold traces in their wake as it started to dry. The cold wetness was soon covered by her warm hand, the rough calluses made by years of fighting and handling every single type of weapon known to man and gods, scratching his sensitive skin.

The movement started slowly smearing all the spit around evenly before picking up on speed and increasing the pressure. While she was pumping with his hand she sucked on his balls making him whimper from just how good it was. He knew Ishtar she wouldn't do anything half-heartedly, she always put herself to it, and now she was putting herself into making him as vulnerable as possible to her touch. 

His fingers, which till this point had gripped the bedsheets in a quest hold on moved to Ishtar's hair first petting and then gripping strong and tucking as cautiously as he could to not hurt her. But instead of swaddling his hands away or threatening to bite his dick off again, she groaned deeply and tilted her head. Which did interesting things to Ares' cock.

Ares deliberately and slowly moving his fingers from Ishtar's hair into his nape, and low and behold she lowered her head so her nose was pressed against his balls. He massaged the skin for a moment increasing the blood flow before tracing a straight red line with the nail of his index finger. And Ishtar just moaned deeply twitching her hand around Ares' cock. But then Ishtar increased the pace of her hand that was holding Ares, overstimulated, that was the only word that truly describes how Ares felt.

All his mind was nothing but a blank satisfaction and happiness, as he looked upon the celling of their room Ares could feel his she come back from the extreme high to look to his side, Ishtar laid on her side, looking at him fondly and taking some strand of her out of his face. 

“ That was wild .”- Ares breathlessly 

“ Yeah I know.”- Ishtar 

“ And I said before, I am not responsible for what happens to you now.”- Ares said and her smile grew

He got off the bed to take his trousers off completely. He could feel her eyes contemplating his figure and that turned him on. Ares turned to her Ishtar still had her dress on, but her shoes had been put away his. He went back to the bed settling her bottoming him, Ares took his sweet time to kiss every single patch of exposed skin while he Ishtar’s dress and slowly taking it off as he kisses down her torso.

Ares moved down to her inner thigh and pressed his mouth against her. She gasped and twitched, he swiftly started moving his tongue against her in ways that make her lose her breath. He seems to be exploring her every inch of her, he already knew the reactions he would get with certain maneuvers so he did exactly what he wanted to her. She found herself moaning, panting, writhing under him. She could feel him smiling as she moaned his name, at the point Ares introduces his fingers in her she is already moaning heavily. 

Ishtar clutched at the other god's hair as he ate her out, it was all she could do hold on. Gasps escaped from her lips as she felt his tongue hit just the right spot. Curling her toes and tipping her head back against the sheets, she could feel Ares keeping her hips still as her eyelids fluttered shut. Somehow she forgot just how it felt; his mouth between her thighs. It was so damn good she almost couldn’t see straight.

" Ares ."- She moaned, making little sounds of pleasure and knitting her fingers deeper into his hair to keep him between her legs

The more sounds she made the harder Ares' tongue worked. Bucking her hips up towards him, she whimpered which only made the other god smirk against her. If only she could see it. Her head tipped back into the sheets, eyes closed, and her hands were far too busy tugging at his hair for her to notice. The heat pooling up in her stomach was starting to grow almost unbearable. And Ares' tongue hit just the right spot and it took everything she had to keep her legs from squeezing together in pleasure as she let out a gasp.

She came shortly after, as her legs started trembling as Ares had before. He went back up her kissing her torso and got distracted by her breasts for some extremely pleasurable minutes before flipping him over, this caught his breath, she could feel his cock pressing eagerly into her.

Ishtar didn’t have to ask him if he liked her on top, she could see it in his eyes and for all of the years, they spent together. She grabbed hold of Ares' cock and he gave her a needy groan. She felt a surge of power and slides her hand over him as he squirms, and an involuntarily moan escaped her as she slid onto Ares' cock. And they both get lost on the sensation. She rides him while he thrusts into her from below, tweaking a nipple with one hand while the other holds her waist.

She maintained her eyes closed focusing on the sensation, but she is not taken by surprise when Ares’ flips them again taking control, that she gives him gladly, she opens her eyes to look at his beautifully hungry auburn eyes, Ishtar only was brought out of his eyes by the sensation of him penetrating her. He knew her so it wasn't difficult to find the right spot, with every single trust making her cry out, as his movements got more and more frantic, he felt her hands one held his hair and the other one scratched his back, and that would probably leave a mark. 

They both orgasmed together and the feeling was stupendous, Ares laid on Ishtar barely feeling his legs. As he tried to make his breath calm and he felt her fingers brushing against his hair. He looked up to her and smiled, she looked as tired as he did, so he got off her. This would usually be the time when they both turned their back to each other and laid on the same bed facing the other way, but they were something else now, so Ares didn't feel weird about hugging Ishtar and putting his head of crook of her neck. They didn't need to talk, they knew exactly what each other was thinking, and to Ares that was only one more sign that he was with the right someone. 

━━━━━━ ✷ ━━━━━━ 

Ares had fallen into sleep shortly after he hugged Ishtar, a sense of peace he only had when he was around her took over him, pared with her passing her hands through his hair made him sleep soundly, yet he woke up with the light of the sun on his face coming in by one fo the windows that were open, he promised the next time he saw Helios he would punch him on the nose, but as he got out of his sleep he realized he was alone. 

Ishtar was nowhere to be seen, that made an alarm go off on his brain, had her maybe gotten afraid by the prospect of being with him and ran away, or did something bad happened such as his father. He got out of the bed without big ceremonies and went straight to the window not caring that he was naked and putting his torso out. She was on the street, he started to think about the worst scenario covering his face with his hands, he thought to himself if he had something wrong or if …

“ What do you think about Antwerp ?”- Ishtar’s voice came to his eyes 

He turned and there she was sitting on the floor, in front of the bad, in a way he could see her before, relief took over him when he sat next to her. 

“ What is it ?”-Ishtar asked seeing the concern on his face 

“ Nothing I was just scared you went away .”- Ares admitted 

“ Ares I don’t think you get it, I’m a curse that will haunt you for the rest of eternity .”- Ishtar

“ I hope so .”- Ares said giving a kiss 

“ So what do you think of Antwerp ?”- Ishtar whispered her question as she pulled away from him 

“ Antwhat ?”- Ares asked 

“ We were talking about moving remember, and this town in Belgium, it’s beautiful, you are going to love it and …”- Ishtar

“As long as we go together, I have no reservations about we're we going.”- Ares putting his arms around Ishtar 

They locked eyes, and Ares knew more than even, that he and his lady, with sun eye, would never get separated, not if he had a say on it. They would never be alone again, and if you ask about Belgium, Belgium is great, a little cold, but nothing cuddling wouldn't solve. 


End file.
